Italia-Serbia: cooperation in car industry

Agreement signed by Abruzzo, Sumadija and Pomoravlje

(ANSAmed)- BELGRADE, MAY 16 - The representatives of regional
development agencies of Sumadija and Pomoravlje (central region
in Serbia) and the Italian region Abruzzo signed in Kragujevac
Wednesday a Memorandum of Cooperation which primarily implies
connecting the companies in the automotive industry, and all
other economic areas.

At the same time, the signed Memorandum will launch an
initiative for the creation of a network of regional development
agencies Eurobalkan and we expect that agencies from the Balkan
region and other European countries will join us, Director of
the Regional Economic Development Agency for Sumadija and
Pomoravlje Jasminka Lukovic Jaglicic said.

Stressing that institutional connections preced economic ones,
she said that the Italian Abruzzo region, owing to good
experience of Fiat in Kragujevac, wants to help its companies
arrive in this city and invest there.
"This is a region of highly developed metallurgy sector and
automotive industry sector, which employ around 30,000 workers,"
she said, and added that the two sectors account for 20 percent
of the region's GDP, and 50 percent of its exports.

Leandro Verzulli, the vice-president of Abruzzo Sviluppo, the
Region of Abruzzo's development agency, said that the Memorandum
is aimed at connecting the companies in order to create new
jobs.

Connecting the companies is of mutual interest, and I hope that
other countries' development agencies will join us, which would
be important for the EU market, Verzulli said.

He added that the two development agencies will work on
connecting other companies as well.

The signing of the Memorandum was also attended by Abruzzo's
Vice-President Vice Alfredo Castiglione, who said that this is a
very important document.

He stated that FIAT has one its biggest factories in Abruzzo,
which employs 6,500 people.(ANSAmed)